Development of Cytotoxic Cells during in vitro Cultures of Pleural Effusion Lymphocytes from Patients with Lung Cancer

Abstract

Culture-induced cytotoxic (CIC) activity developed in 7-day culture in the presence of fetal calf serum of pleural effusion lymphocytes from patients with lung cancer which initially showed markedly low or no natural killing (NK) activity against K562 [human leukemia] cells. The development of CIC activity was proliferation-dependent. The CIC-mediating effector cells were removed by nylon-wool adherence, whereas the NK cells were enriched. Precursors for cytotoxic cells were not clarified. The precursors for cytotoxic cells apparently are present in carcinomatous pleural effusions and able to develop cytotoxicity after 7-day culture in vitro.